Persona 3 AFS
by Solaris Prime
Summary: The Dark Hour... If he never experienced it, he could have lived on with his normal life. But Kazuo didn't have that luxury. This First Year may not understand the full spectrum of what's going on, but he could help, right? If so, that's what he is going to do. The beginning of the Persona AFS series.


**A/N: Before we being, I will say right now that the character included in this story is _not_ the _brother_ of another character. The name relation will be explained down the road... WAY down the road. As in when it becomes relevant.**

**Until then, please enjoy.**

* * *

_"It's rather obvious that he has the potential."_

_ "Think about it first, all right?"_

_ "We need all the strength we can get..."_

_ "Well, Kujikawa? Will you join SEES?"_

* * *

A sigh filled the small room of a boy lying down in bed. It was the morning of April 5th, but he didn't seem all that eager to experience what this day had in store, even though he had on his usual heavy attire. With a quick hum, he sat up and readjusted his gray shirt before letting his light brown eyes stare off into space. _'Won't be much longer,'_ he thought. "Kazuo Kujikawa, First Year at Gekkoukan High... That sounded better in my head." He didn't even bother attempt a title for the other. He still wasn't battle ready, so why even try yet?

A ring snapped him out of his thoughts, looking to the in-table to find his phone vibrating in sequence to the sharp noise. Who'd be calling him on a Sunday? He doubted anyone from SEES would be calling him so early. Maybe a text, but that's all he would expect. Picking up the phone, though, he was proved wrong. "Yukari?" He had to admit, he was surprised. Still, he answered the phone. "Kaz here."

_"Hey, sorry to call out of the blue."_ An apology right off the bat? Well, her voice wasn't exactly carefree over the phone. Actually, she sounded a little to be a bit concerned. Not that he could really tell for sure. Kaz wasn't good at stuff like that._ "Are you free today? There's some things I wanted to talk about."_

"Is that so?" His voice didn't hide his curiosity. It was obvious he was wondering what she was getting at. Still, he had nothing better to do until he started school tomorrow. Might as well take the invitation. "Can't say I made any plans. Are you still in the dorm?"

_"No, I'm already at the Port Station. There was some things I wanted to take care of."_

_'Right, of course,'_ Kaz thought. It's already in the afternoon by this hour, so she'd likely be out by this time. "Okay then. How about waiting up for me near the fountain? I would meet you wherever you wanted to go, but..."

_"'But you're still new to the area.' It's fine. I went through it once too, you know."_ Well, at least she was rather patient with him. _"I'll see you then."_

"'Kay. See ya." Kaz hung up after that, sighing a bit as he ran a hand through his dark brunette hair. Thinking about it, he remembered that night when he decided to join SEES. Yukari was the only one who didn't seem all that thrilled that he chose to fight. As he thought about it, the 'things' she wanted to talk about may very well be on that subject. _'Already said I'd be there, so might as well head out.'_

He took his tan jacket off the headboard while standing up, the chain on his jeans jingling slightly as he put it on. Reaching for the door, he stopped just an inch away before wondering something. "Wait..." He walked to a mirror, looking at his hair. It was as he left it, even after moving a hand through it. Didn't grow much since he cut it last. Thick on all ends, but still spiked enough to his preference. However, he felt he was missing something... Then he realized everything was a bit blurry. Kaz didn't really have much in his room at the moment, so he didn't take notice before. So, he swiped a small case that was on his desk, opening it to show a pair of glasses.

"And here I thought it was my hair." He put them on, making the spiked look seem a little... out of place.

Not that it bothered him any as Kaz walked out the door, finding himself in a hallway he still wasn't all that familiar with. "Wonder how long it'll take before I get used to this sight," he thought aloud while scratching the back of his head. Wasn't too long ago that he moved into the Iwatodai Dorm, and it wasn't much longer since he joined SEES. He was just glad his dad let him move in, though he wondered if there were some strings that were pulled. Regardless, it was different, but he didn't really mind it all that much. Might give him a new perspective on things.

The sun beamed down on him once he entered the plaza. It was somewhat busy, several people looking like high school students. Would make sense, as school was starting soon. They have to be spending as much time as possible out before that 'dreadful' day rears its 'ugly' head. Although, Kaz never knew why others thought that. For him, it kept him on a schedule and on a routine. As such, he wasn't very spontaneous, much rather plan things ahead and in a system.

"Hey!" The voice got Kaz out of his sightseeing, looking around to find a light brunette waving at him. He knew who it was, thankfully.

"Sorry I'm late," the to-be sophomore said as he walked up. His eyes trailed off to the fountain for a moment, taking in the craftsmanship of it. It was rather pretty, actually. Still, he had someone to be talking to. "Wanted to talk, Yukari-sen-... Uh..."

Yukari sighed, her brown eyes clearly conveying her thoughts. _'Not this again.'_ Kaz remembered what she told him before hand, and she was going to tell him again. "Please, don't call me that. It makes me feel old."

"R-right... Sorry." Kaz scratched the back of his head, a bit of a habit when he was embarrassed or in an awkward situation. "Anyway..."

Yukari nodded, catching where he was headed. "Let's head to the mall. I was going to go to the café anyway, so we can talk there." Kaz nodded, following his senpai as she walked ahead. He knew what she was going to talk to him about, but it was weird how she was being so casual about it. After what happened to him, he didn't know how anyone could talk so calmly about such a subject...

* * *

_The atmosphere changed dramatically around Kaz as the cellphone he was looking at turned off the moment midnight hit. The lack of lighting made him turn around, finding the lights from the building he just left from all off as well. The only light he was getting was from a green-tinted moon, but even then it was such an eerie scene that his nerves were getting to him. "Kay, Calm down, Kaz," he told himself. The last thing he needed was to panic. All he needed to do was to head back to the hotel where he and his father was staying at and it would all poss. Probably just the power going out... and the air must've just had something in it. That's all. Nothing big._

_ However, as he made his way to the sidewalk, he stepped in something wet. There wasn't any rain recently, so he looked down, but to find blood on the walkway slowly seeping toward the road. Then he panicked, jumping out of the puddle of blood and running for dear life. There was no way this was normal now, and he wanted to get back as soon as he could. Once he rounded a corner, he started to speed up, but hit something hard and made him fall on his butt. After getting his head together, he looked up to find yet another freaky thing in front of him. "A coffin!? W-what the hell is going on?!"_

_ As if in response, a strange sound could be heard in the distance. To Kaz, it sounded like moaning. His gut told him to run like heck, but his mind wanted to see if it was another person. He chose his mind and followed the sound until he was led to an alleyway. It was too dark to see, so he called out. "H-hello?" No response, though the sound started to change from a moan to like a bunch of moving slime. It was a sickening sound to say the least, but soon a black tar-like blob slid out from the shadows, a mask on top of it. Kaz was confused about what it was, but then it grew arms, telling Kazuo to get out of there._

_ He started to run as fast as he could, but the creature was catching up slowly, but surely. Kaz tried to speed up, but he tripped on his own foot, hitting the ground hard. He tried to get up, but he could hear that slimy noise get closer by the second, making him turn over and watch in horror as it charged at him. He closed his eyes, expecting the worst.._

_ "Penthesilea!" He heard a voice, but didn't acknowledge it until he realized nothing was happening. The slime sound stopped and all he could hear was the sound of a breeze passing by. He slowly opened his eyes to find that the creature was no where nearby, making him look for it but instead finding a young woman right behind him. The surprise of it made him turn on the ground and start to scoot away, but he stopped after a moment. Looking at her, she seemed human enough, even though with what he just went through, she seemed pretty crazy since she had a smile on her face._

_ "Don't worry. I took care of the threat," she said, rather calmly. "You have nothing more to be scared of." If Kazuo was standing, he was sure she'd be a few inches taller than him. Her long dark red hair was easy to distinguish in the strange lighting, her similar colored eyes holding a responsible flare that he only saw from leading characters in movies. Her attired looked like a school uniform, though the blouse was a little more classy and he didn't remember many students wearing black boots like her, but the skirt and red bow around her neck seemed to fit._

_ "Uh..." Kaz wasn't sure what to say, but the one before him didn't seem to mind. She held out her hand as she spoke._

_ "Do you need some help?" It took a moment, but he took the offer, each hand getting a firm grip on the other._

* * *

"Hey, Kazuo! You still awake?" Yukari's voice brought him back to reality, making him realize he was in the café. Across the table, there was a slightly concerned looking girl staring at him, the girl being Yukari herself. "Something on your mind?"

Kaz shook his head, both as an answer to Yukari and to get his head straight. "No, it's nothing. I just spaced out for a moment." True, it was a lie, but he was good at those, and the convinced look on the brunette's face proved it worked. Now he just had to roll with it. "What was the last thing you said again?"

"I was asking if you were already signed up for the school." She took a cup of tea in hand, but waited for her company's response.

The dark-haired boy nodded. "Everything should be in order. I already got my uniform the other day, so the only thing left to find out is what class I'll be in."

"You'll find that out on Tuesday." Yukari took a drink before speaking again, a smile on her face. "Kinda weird, though. We don't get many first year students early in the year."

Kaz chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "I never really was one to join a party halfway through."

"Oh, so school's a party to you, is it?"

"Sure! I always enjoy spraying the confetti out across the campus. Oh wait... That would be my assignments." The brunette let out a laugh, something Kaz smiled about before joining in himself. But enough of the pleasantries. He had a question, after all. "But why did you call me? I'm sure this was more than just a social thing."

Yukari stiffened some. She needed to go about this in such a way that anyone eavesdropping would not be able to catch on to the primary subject. "About joining the 'club'... Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, you didn't exactly have a lot of time to really think about it."

Kaz knew this was coming, but it didn't make formulating an answer any easier for him. He sighed, taking off his glasses as he rubbed his eyes in thought. How could he say this? 'I did because I could and I wanted?' That obviously wouldn't be good enough, but it was hard to give an exact answer. "I'm actually not sure." He put his glasses back on before looking at Yukari again. "Part of me wanted to do it because it felt obligated. I know something and was told I had the power to help, so I should."

"So you-" Yukari started to speak, but was cut off as Kaz held a hand up, showing he wasn't finished.

"But there was also something else in me that wanted to join. I don't know what it is, but it urged me to say yes, and it was hard to ignore. Maybe I just wanted something different to shake things up?" He leaned forward, putting his hand through his hair. "If nothing else, I'll back out if I need to. Mitsuru-senpai seems reasonable enough, so I think she'd understand if it came to that."

Yukari hummed, but to Kazuo it didn't seem to be one of agreement. Her eyes looked down to the table, seemingly going into thought. Kaz had half a mind to ask her what was up, but he kept quiet. Did he say something weird? He normally considered himself to be the guy that always chose his words carefully, so he wasn't sure if he did. Maybe she was thinking of an answer for him? No, that was impossible. She didn't know him that much, if at all. He only moved in a couple of days ago and this was the first time they actually talked.

"Hey, Kaz- Can I call you Kaz?"

He nodded. "Most people call me that anyway."

"Yeah, it's easier to say, honestly. But I was wondering something." The boy leaned in more, waiting to hear the next words coming out of her mouth. Anyone watching them could get the idea that he was waiting on a love confession or something.

"What is it?"

"Your hair... Have you always had it like that?"

Kaz's brow furrowed at the question. His hair? What was wrong with his hair? "Uh... Yeah, basically. Why do you ask?"

"Well... Let's be honest here, I just can't take you seriously with your glasses on and your hair like that. Don't you have contacts or something?" Now he was taken aback. She couldn't... take him seriously? What the heck was that supposed to mean?

"No, I don't! And what the heck is wrong with my look? No one ever complained about it before!" He was obviously getting defensive, and the raised voice was turning some heads in the café. Yukari wasn't backing down, though.

"Okay then! Let's get you a new hair style. I have a friend that works at a salon, so she can give us a discount."

"Wait, what?!" The brunette stood and grabbed Kaz's arm, nearly dragging him out of his seat. "Whoa! Hey, hold on! We didn't even pay-" As he looked by the table, he noticed some Yen there just waiting for a waiter to pick it up. She was good... She was very good.

Yukari walked through the dorm entrance with a satisfied look on her face, though as she looked back, the lack of Kaz's presence annoyed her. He acted that way since he left the salon and it was like dragging a kid home after not getting his way at a toy store. At least, to her it was.

"Would you get in here? It's not like anyone else is in at the moment."

"You sure?" From inside, his voice was muffled, yet easily able to hear.

"Yeah. Besides, you look much better like this. Kinda cool, even."

It took a moment, but Kaz finally stepped inside. All the thick hair he had was gone, leaving just a thin layer around the sides and back with the top thicker, but still rather thin. Though it was combed forward, the front still spiked up, but it wasn't due to any gel. No, it was all on it's own accord.

"I wonder what our Senpai is gonna say?" That smile on Yukari's face took on multiple meanings for Kaz in that moment. None of which he was gonna state.

"Yukari-san, I swear, if I get humiliated by this..."

"Oh, would you stop? It's not like you're some kind of pop-star known all over Japan."

A sigh escaped Kaz's lips. He wasn't a one of those, but... No, such information didn't need to be shared here. It would just give him unwanted attention.

"Anyway, are you sure you don't want me to pay you back?" he asked. "That _was_ a pretty expensive cut, even with the discount."

Now it was Yukari's turn to sigh. "I told you, it was my idea. You think I'm gonna ask you to pay me for something you didn't want to do at first?"

"That's not the point..."

"Well, your point is rather dull, and I doubt you can sharpen it quick enough."

_'There's no winning with this girl!'_ Kaz ran a hand through his hair, missing the feel of it all going through and over his fingers. Felt more like a puppy's fur now. Though... he kinda liked it.

"Anyway, today's coming to a close. We'll do a showcase of your new look tomorrow."

The boy scoffed at the announcement, not even bothering with a reply. As Yukari headed for a couch, Kaz was already headed for his dorm. Best to go ahead and sleep early tonight. Once Tuesday rolls around, the extra energy is likely going to be needed. Not to mention when he had to get on the field during _that_ time of night...

"This is gonna be a weird year, isn't it?"


End file.
